Sunday 13 April 2014

Microsoft restores Start menu

Soon we will be back to Windows 7 ...
Windows 8-1 updateAt least Microsoft is now, once again, listening to its users!

Microsoft to restore Start menu to Windows - Computerworld:

Google strengthens security

Improvements in security are always good news ...
SNP_2812914_en_v0Android is already more secure than some older Operating Systems and Google is making it even better.

Google Strengthens Android App Security With Continuous Post-Install Scans | TechCrunch:

Microsoft playing catchup

Can already sense the change in Microsoft ...
WinstartmenuWhilst some of the recent Microsoft announcements were obviously in the pipeline before their new CEO Satya Nadella was appointed, there is also evidence of an attitudinal change that can only be attributed to the new CEO.

Microsoft is finally catching up to the future | The Verge:

50 yrs ago, IBM's System/360

This may bring back memories for some ...
I wrote my first program in Fortran and used to carry a tray of 500+ punched cards across Pitt Street, Sydney to run it at a batch terminal. I often wondered what would happen if I dropped the tray in the middle of Pitt Street!

50 years ago, IBM created mainframe that helped send men to the Moon | Ars Technica:

What is Wi-Fi Direct

Understanding the difference - Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi Direct ...
Wi-Fi Direct: what it is and why you should careIt is always good to know what these terms mean like "Wi-Fi Direct".

Wi-Fi Direct: what it is and why you should care | News | TechRadar:

Wind farms temper cyclones

One way of calming the winds ...
Game-changer ... Huge offshore wind farms near vulnerable coastal cities can dampen hurriInteresting idea. Cyclonic winds may be too strong to actually run the windmills to generate electricity. I thought there was a maximum wind speed above which they had to disable the windmills!

Offshore wind farms can temper cyclones, scientists say | News.com.au:

Sunday 6 April 2014

Google’s grand plan

Great overview of Google's grand plan ...
Writer Barbara Ortutay tries out Google Glass.Cannot help feeling that Page and Brin's 'moonshot' factory make Microsoft's early years look like 'kids stuff'!

The shocking scale of Google’s grand plan | News.com.au:

Google+ Auto Backup

Great application for smartphone & tablet cameras ...
Google is migrating PicasaWeb over to Google+ Photos and this auto-upload feature is part of that migration. Google Picasa still seems to be a viable standard-alone editing package even though there is also some editing capability within Google+ Photos.

Google Quietly Begins Pushing Its Photo Backup Software To Google+ Users | TechCrunch:

Gear Fit looks good

Looks better than the big square smart watches ...
Vs02-25_1249m_1Wearables are certainly going to be big in 2014! Just another way for the hardware manufacturers to get some incremental revenue!

The Gear Fit is what wearables should look like | The Verge:

What is Telegram?

Messaging app with a difference ...
There are now so many messaging apps like WhatsApp, Kik etc what makes Telegram any different? Well it is Open Source and designed to be the fastest and most secure messaging system. Nowadays with the NSA and who knows who reading all our messages, Telegram might really have something to offer!

Why Telegram has become the hottest messaging app in the world | The Verge:

Saturday 5 April 2014

Office on iPhone & Android

Microsoft is really starting to move again ...
Free for "home" use but may only interface with Microsoft's OneDrive.

Office For iPhone And Android Is Now Free | TechCrunch:

Start Menu Returns when?

Checkout this screen capture of a future Windows 8.1 ...
It appears we might be getting and even bigger Start Menu on Windows 8.1 sometime later in 2014.

Future Windows 8.1 update will finally bring back the Start menu | Ars Technica:

The story of Cortana

Microsoft's answer to Apple's Siri and Google Now ...
Cortana-windows-phone-theverge-7_1020This is worth a read to see how Microsoft is planning to catch up (and overtake?) Apple and Google with their own Personal Assistant called Cortana.

The story of Cortana, Microsoft's Siri killer | The Verge:

Windows 8.1 Update 1

More content details of Windows 8.1 Update 1 ...
Checkout the full gallery of desktop pictures.

Windows 8.1 Update available April 8th, includes keyboard and mouse improvements | The Verge:

Nokia’s Forking Android

Consumers are going to get so confused ...
Interesting argument presented in this article. So now we have two major fork's of Android - Amazon with Kindle and Nokia with their Nokia X range of smartphones.

Nokia’s Forking Of Android Could Benefit Google | TechCrunch: